Alwaght-The United States has deployed several F-35 stealth warplanes in Europe as part of a planned NATO exercise aimed at confronting Russia.
The F-35A Lightning II jets landed at Royal Air Force Base in Lakenheath, England Saturday, having made the journey from Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
"The forward presence of F-35s support my priority of having ready and postured forces here in Europe,” said NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe General Curtis M. Scaparrotti in an official statement. “These aircraft, plus more importantly, the men and women who operate them, fortifies the capacity and capability of our NATO alliance.”
This deployment marks the first time American F-35A fighter jets have made an appearance in Europe, though a few countries already use them as part of their air fleet.
“This is an incredible opportunity for [US Air Forces in Europe] airmen and our NATO allies to host this first overseas training deployment of the F-35A aircraft,” said Air Force General Tod D. Wolters.
“As we and our joint F-35 partners bring this aircraft into our inventories, it’s important that we train together to integrate into a seamless team capable of defending the sovereignty of allied nations.
The deployment will last several weeks and is part of the European Reassurance Initiative, a US build-up of troops and weapons in Europe launched in 2014 to “deter Russian aggression.”
Though apparently scheduled months in advance, the deployment was announced as relations between Washington and Moscow have been described as “at an all-time low” by US President Donald Trump.
“We’re not getting along with Russia at all,” Trump said on Wednesday, after meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Washington.
The so-called 'Russian threat' is used as an excuse to increase defense budgets and deploy troops, yet Russia’s defense budget is less than 10 percent that of NATO’s.
Europe is preparing to counter a perceived 'Russian military threat.' NATO countries in the East of the continent are witnessing the arrival of thousands of American soldiers to be stationed along the Russian border from Estonia to Bulgaria.
